Burglary Suspect Found Hiding Inside Athens Grocery Store After Leaving Child Home Alone

In the early morning hours of Friday, January 23, 2026, at approximately 2:22 a.m., officers with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department responded to a burglary alarm at the Earth Fare grocery store in the 1600 block of South Lumpkin Street in Athens.

When officers arrived, they found a door partially open and began clearing the store to determine whether a suspect was still inside and what, if anything, had been taken. During the search, one officer heard a noise and discovered a man hiding above the store’s freezers. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.

While speaking with officers, the suspect revealed that he had left his 9-year-old child home alone in Commerce, Georgia. Athens-Clarke County officers immediately contacted the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, which dispatched deputies to a residence in the 200 block of Northwood Drive. Deputies located the child and contacted the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services to ensure the child’s safety.

The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Benjamin Reed Heaslip, was booked into the Clarke County Jail at approximately 4:25 a.m. He faces charges of Burglary in the Second Degree, Possession of Tools for the Commission of a Crime, Possession of a Knife During the Commission of a Felony, Criminal Trespass with Damage, and Obstruction.

In addition, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office charged Heaslip with Cruelty to a Child and requested a hold without bond. He remains in custody as the investigation continues.